Chapter 15: The Difference Between Humans and Demons

Ji Yuan didn't see anyone eat; they only drank some water. Perhaps they had already eaten before arriving.

By the time it was completely dark outside, their outer clothes were almost dry. They put on their jackets and prepared to leave.

It seemed that their recuperation involved not just resting to restore energy, but also thoroughly drying their clothes, which likely boosted their combat effectiveness significantly. This was akin to how Ji Yuan, when playing games, would lean closer to the screen for better accuracy and sway side to side for increased evasion.

Two strong men hoisted the sacks containing pigs and sheep once more. One of them was Lu Chengfeng, who had expressed a desire to witness a monster.

"All right, let's go!"

Yan Fei, still full of vigor, led the group.

Still carrying the sack, Lu Chengfeng turned his head and called out to Ji Yuan.

"Beggar, wait for our good news! When we return, we'll take you down the mountain with us!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, big brother, don't tempt fate!"

Ji Yuan felt a surge of panic upon hearing this. He hesitated for a moment, then, as Lu Chengfeng, the last of the group, stepped out of the temple gate, he called out to him.

"Young Hero Lu, if you find yourselves in dire peril, shout that you know Mr. Ji! Remember this, remember it well!"

By then, Lu Chengfeng had already stepped out of the temple gate. Hearing the shout, he glanced back. Even with the faint firelight, it was still too dark inside to clearly make out the beggar's face.

Not entirely grasping the precise meaning of the words, Lu Chengfeng didn't dwell on them and quickly caught up with his companions ahead.

Niu Kui Mountain comprised dozens of peaks of varying sizes. The Mountain God Temple was located on just a small hill on its outer fringes.

Although the nine young heroes lacked some worldly experience and were a bit naive, their martial arts foundation was truly solid, allowing them to traverse the rugged mountain paths as if on level ground.

By their local reckoning, they crossed three peaks in about two hours, reaching a relatively deep part of Niu Kui Mountain's old forest.

By then, all nine of them were lightly sweating.

Yan Fei, in the lead, surveyed the shadowy forms in the surrounding darkness and took a deep breath.

"This should be it. The man-eating beast surely wouldn't hide too deep in the mountains. Let's put down the pigs and sheep and make our preparations here!"

"Understood!"

"It's around 7 to 9 PM now; the beast will become active soon!"

Lu Chengfeng and the man with the staff put down their sacks, untied the openings, and led out a small ewe and a medium-sized domestic pig.

Having been carried a long distance, the two animals were clearly a bit dizzy and barely made a sound.

"Tie their ropes to these two trees. And, cut their legs!"

"I'll do it!"

A young man with a knife walked over to the pig and sheep, drew his blade, and with a swift flick of his wrist, made two quick cuts on their hind legs.

"Squeal~~ Squeal~~~" "Baa…"

In pain, the two animals immediately struggled, attempting to flee, but the ropes tethered them, preventing escape.

Lu Chengfeng and the man with the staff each tied their animal's rope to a nearby tree trunk. Meanwhile, the others observed their surroundings.

"Alright, let's hide in the trees and wait!"

Everyone nodded silently, already feeling a thrill of excitement. Some used qinggong to leap, while others quickly climbed, concealing themselves skillfully in four or five large trees nearby.

For a moment, the mountain fell silent. Apart from the injured pig and sheep, which were howling and thrashing about, only the occasional cries of night birds could be heard.

They waited for a full two hours.

"Hoo… hoo-hoo… hoo~~"

The cries of the night birds only made the darkness seem more profound.

Lu Chengfeng, the swordsman Du Heng, and the woman Luo Ningshuang were hidden in the tree where the goat was tied, looking down through the canopy and leaves.

The goat and pig were already tired. From their initial frantic thrashing, they were now lying on the ground, resting.

"It's been so long already; is the fierce tiger still coming?"

Luo Ningshuang asked the two in a hushed voice.

"I don't know. Logically, such an easy prey should attract a beast."

"Shh!"

Lu Chengfeng motioned for them to be quiet.

"Whoosh… whoosh…"

The wind in the mountains suddenly picked up, making the branches of the surrounding trees sway.

"Baa…"

With a bleat from the goat, both the goat and the pig stood up, looking around agitatedly.

"Baa… baa…" "Squeal… squeal…"

The two injured animals frantically charged outward, only to be pulled back by the ropes around their necks. This sudden change invigorated the nine ambushing individuals.

"Whoosh… whoosh…"

The cool wind not only made the hair of those in the trees flutter but also made them feel a chill.

For some reason, this strange wind made many uneasy. No one noticed that, apart from the frantic pig and sheep, all bird calls in the forest had ceased.

In the distance, a fierce tiger, noticeably larger than average, stood on a rock deep within the forest. Through the dark foliage, it gazed towards the domestic pig and goat, its eyes displaying a human-like hint of disdain.

The fierce tiger made no attempt to hide or avoid anything. It simply walked straight towards the tethered pig and sheep, slowly approaching them.

By then, the pig and goat had long lost their earlier frantic energy, trembling and collapsing to the ground, too terrified to move.

‘What a huge tiger!’

The tiger that appeared was much larger than imagined, far exceeding the size described by those who had previously seen fierce tigers.

The hair on the necks of everyone in the trees stood on end, and their scalps tingled. Although they wanted to slay the tiger and eliminate this menace, seeing such an enormous beast still terrified them greatly, making their hearts pound at an astonishing rate.

The fierce tiger stopped beside the two animals, its fur swaying in the wind.

‘Why isn't the tiger eating?’

This was the question that arose in everyone's mind amidst their tension. They had previously agreed that, unless something unexpected happened, they would jump out and attack when the tiger started eating the livestock.

Fine beads of sweat dotted Yan Fei's face. His right hand was already on his sword hilt, ready to signal everyone to reveal themselves if the tiger showed any sign of escape.

Just then, he suddenly noticed the fierce tiger actually looked up at the large tree where he was hidden, and a rough, hoarse voice emanated from its mouth.

"Interesting! Mortal martial artists? Since you've come to seek death, it shouldn't be considered a violation of Master's teachings!"

In an instant, the hair on the necks of everyone, including Yan Fei, stood on end, their scalps tingled, and goosebumps erupted all over their bodies.

They had only one thought: ‘It's a spirit!’

"First, let's play, roar!"

As the tiger's roar echoed, the fierce tiger lunged towards the tree canopy in front of it, terrifying the individuals directly facing it. Their limbs stiffened, and they lost all ability to react.

Yan Fei bit his tongue hard to break free from the paralysis of fear and let out a loud roar.

"Attack!"

"Shing~"

His tassel-adorned longsword flashed from its scabbard, and he grimly swung it towards the fierce tiger, attempting to force it back.

To his surprise, the fierce tiger did not dodge or evade; one of its paws shot straight towards the longsword. In Yan Fei's eyes, this single tiger paw was thicker than his own thigh, and the clawed palm was larger than his head.

"Clang…" "Thud…"

It happened in an instant. Yan Fei's longsword twisted, and he was slapped from the tree by a tiger's paw, blood gushing from his chest, falling into the bushes, his fate unknown.

"Bastard!"

Zhao Long, the man with the staff, gripped his long staff and charged at the tiger spirit, but before he could fully extend his weapon, a blurry yellow and black whip-like shadow appeared before his eyes.

"Bang~ Crack…" "Thud…"

A tiger's tail, as hard as steel, lashed out, shattering the staff that could withstand axe chops and sword cuts. Zhao Long, struck by the tail, fell from the tree, spitting blood, following in Yan Fei's footsteps.

"Save them!" "Charge!"

The remaining individuals leaped from their hiding places and collectively charged at the fierce tiger.

Lu Shan Jun's momentum didn't falter. It landed gracefully on the trunk of the large tree where Yan Fei had been hidden, its four paws gripping the bark like a cat. With a slight crouch, it suddenly sprang several zhang away just as swords and blades reached its previous position.

"Whoosh~~"

The wind generated by the fierce tiger swept past, and before their attacks could even connect, they watched as the tiger leaped over their encirclement and landed on the outer side.

Du Heng, who had drawn his saber, and Luo Ningshuang, who had drawn her sword, reacted the fastest. Both pushed off the tree trunk with their feet, twisted their bodies in mid-air, and shot out almost immediately in the direction the tiger had leaped. One delivered a thrust, the other a chop, both aiming directly at the tiger, which was still in mid-air.

But the fierce tiger incredibly stomped its four limbs in the air, as if finding a footing in the wind. Its massive body suddenly shifted sideways and then landed in a low crouch with uncanny speed, its glowing green eyes fixed on the swordsman and Luo Ningshuang.

"ROAR~~~"

A single roar made the remaining individuals' bodies go numb, and their movements stiffened eerily.

With a whoosh, the fierce tiger's body seemed to blur, and it had already lunged out again.

"Careful!"

The shouts of their companions seemed distant, and in Luo Ningshuang's and Du Heng's wide, terrified eyes, the fierce tiger was still face-to-face with them, the cold glint on its claws as sharp as metal.

"Thud!" "Thump… bang!"

With one swipe, it first struck Du Heng, then hit Luo Ningshuang.

Before the alarmed cries of their companions behind them had even faded, they saw the swordsman and Luo Ningshuang fly off to the left and right, respectively, spitting blood. The swordsman's hand, which had held his saber, was already twisted unnaturally outwards.

"Thud!" "Thud!"

"Whoosh…"

The first two sounds were Luo Ningshuang and Du Heng hitting the ground in the distance; the last was the fierce tiger landing, almost imperceptibly soft.

In a brief exchange, four skilled individuals' fates were unknown…

The tiger spirit stood not far from the remaining five individuals, stretching its limbs like a large cat, its terrifying eyes gazing at them with mockery.

"Whizz… clatter, clatter, clatter…"

A broad-bladed saber, bent at a ninety-degree angle, spun in an arc and landed at their feet. Not only was the blade twisted, but the edge at the point of impact was also warped.

Lu Chengfeng and the others felt their hands and feet turn ice-cold, their breathing seized. Their knuckles were white where they clenched their fists or gripped their weapons.